Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy
by M.Brjs
Summary: Our heritage has been kept a secret for too long. Bide your time and never forget, the heiress doesn't bow to a madman, and most definitely not to a usurper. We are Pure-bloods, we don't bend the knee, we challenge those who seek to destroy the very magic that flows through our veins. Remind his followers what the Pure-bloods truly stand for, become an heiress worthy of Slytherin.
1. Preface

**Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy**

**DISCLAIMER.** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC was created by me.

* * *

**Preface**

Loraleen held her head high, her back straight, not giving away an ounce of emotion as she purposefully walked down the hall on her way to the dungeons. The silvery ring on her finger glinted under the soft rays of light coming from the high windows, attracting almost as much attention as her mere presence did. A soft smile made its way to Loraleen's lips, the news had spread like wildfire thanks to the Daily Prophet, just like she had hoped.

The whispers started gaining strength, making themselves known. The tap of Loraleen's heels on the stone floor drowned in the raising voices of every student she passed by.

_"She is the true heir"_

_"But how can it be possible?"_

_"Look at her right hand, she bears the heir ring, she must be!"  
_

Loraleen's smile became a discrete smirk. Yes, it was time for a change of tides. This foolish excuse of an uprising had gone on for far too long, it was long overdue for someone to step up and handle it like it should have been done from the start.

It was time for everyone to find out who Slytherin's last true heir really was.


	2. Chapter 1

**Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy**

**Author's note:**Hello there! I am not a big fan of author's notes because I know nobody reads them anyway (or at least, I usually don't) so I'll be quick and concise. First of all, I want to say thank you for giving this story a try. I promise you I will try my best to upload as constantly as possible, rest assured, I don't intend on dropping this project anytime soon. Second, English is not my native tongue, so if you spot any mistakes let me know so I can fix them. Thirdly, reviews and comments are more than welcome, in fact they are encouraged, as long as they are constructive. That being said, I hope you enjoy the first chapter, let me know if you like it!

-M

**DISCLAIMER.** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC belongs to me.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Platform 9 ¾ was alight with activity. At twenty to eleven families hurried about, kissing their children goodbye, making them promise to write constantly and to behave in classes. Parents ushered their youngest forward, towards the Hogwarts Express, giving final warnings and advice for the upcoming school year. Friends who had not seen each other throughout the summer hugged with fervor, delight visible in the way they gesticulated, a particular gleam in their eyes that could not be described as anything but pure happiness. The dull thuds of trunks being carried and dropped only to be lifted again accompanied the heartfelt farewells marking the start of a new year, a new adventure as some might say, just waiting for the clock to chime eleven.

On the other side of the platform, a raven-haired girl of fair complexion leaned on the brick wall, observing the proceedings with a dreamy smile on her face. Her sparkling silvery grey eyes closed with pleasure as a fresh gust of wind ran through her unbound jet-black hair, brushing it away from her face with its strength. She kept her eyes closed, remembering her mother's arms around her shoulders as she bid her farewell. Her firm tone going soft with every word she uttered, willing her daughter to enjoy herself, to forget the inevitable future that would soon come to pass and for once focus on being carefree. Her father's hug had been shorter, he had enveloped her in his arms before pulling her away to caress her cheek and place a kiss on her forehead. His golden-brown eyes shining with pride as he looked down, encouraging her to remain true to herself for he was sure that would be enough to bring her joy, even in the bleakest of times.

Her parents had exited the platform shortly after, assured that her only daughter was more than capable to board by herself; knowing as well that she was not fond of sentimentalisms and that she would rather have a few minutes of solitude before starting the train ride to Hogwarts. The 16-year-old was incredibly thankful her parents knew her so well and as she reopened her eyes, she sighed with bliss at the tentative peace she felt in the mist of the station. Casting her eyes skyward, she admired the clear September sky, so full of possibilities and yet so susceptible to change.

_The wizarding world will be forever changed when the secret comes out, if we play our cards right it will be for the better._

Echoes of a months-old conversation with her mother found their way into her conscious thoughts. Her tone, the volume she used, the conviction behind the words an exact replica. It felt as if the words were being whispered in her ear in that precise moment, as if her mother had not left the platform at all and were standing right next to her, reminding her of the inevitable future that awaited them.

Cathleen Ollerton, neé Blishwick, wasn't a stern woman as most people would believe considering her status as a Pureblood wife, she was far from it in fact. She was kind, sweet and listened to everyone's point of view before passing judgement. Her relationship with her daughter was the kind people envied, the kind that was almost rare for arguments and fights were almost an oddity between them. However, this didn't imply she didn't have a character, because she did. She was firm in her beliefs and wasn't scared of upholding her values when the situation called for it, hardening her deep grey eyes as she prepared her arguments.

Ms. Ollerton knew the dangers of drawing too much attention to herself, and yet she struggled to stay away from unfair politics, having a strong moral compass which demanded her to speak in defense of those being wronged regardless of the consequences. Nonetheless, there was one topic for which she would remain quiet when brought to the table in public gatherings. A topic which unfortunately for her, had become widely talked about since the so-called Slytherin heir had proclaimed himself Dark Lord a few years prior. She was aware her family's heritage was without a doubt, the one secret that had to remain as well guarded as a Gringotts vault. Ironically, it was precisely her knowledge in regards of this particular secret what sparked the greatest desire to argue inside of her.

Loraleen Ollerton knew her parents were sincere, encouraging her to use her upcoming school year as a getaway from the heavy planning and scheming, and still, she could not get her thoughts to stray from the war. She could not forget the Daily Prophet's articles announcing raid after raid, the people disappearing, the deaths, the photographs of the Dark Mark illuminating the sky with its nasty greenish glow. She couldn't help but feel in the bottom of her heart that each day that passed was a day she was becoming an accomplice to this calamity.

Her left hand clenched her cloak's fabric as the thoughts she had successfully managed to keep at bay for the most part of the morning broke free and swiveled around inside her head.

_Just a few more months_, she thought to herself.

Letting the cloak go, she took a deep breath, aiming for the peace she had previously managed to achieve, letting the platform's noise consume her senses.

As she regained her composure the Hogwarts Express blew out steam, signaling departure time was fast approaching. Loraleen took the handle of her trunk and swiftly dragged it through the crowd of bystanders. As she walked, the raven-haired girl felt incredibly grateful with her mother for insisting on charming it to be lighter as her packed trunk presented no trouble while moving around the crowded station. She easily boarded the train, going up the short set of steps on the train's side and quickly set herself to the task of finding an empty compartment.

The hallway was lined on both sides with small cabins, for 6 people at most, and to her great annoyment, most of them were already full to the brim with students. Loraleen let out an exasperated sigh and kept walking, mentally reproaching her lack of forethought as she went. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious this would happen, the amount of people standing at the platform was a dead giveaway.

As she carefully maneuvered around the excited younger students running around, she spotted a relatively empty compartment where two boys around her age were sitting by themselves. Sighing determinately, Loraleen knocked softly on the crystal door, sliding it open without waiting for an answer.

"Hello, are these seats taken?" she asked in a polite tone just as both boys turned to face her.

Upon closer inspection she realized one was younger than the other. The older boy seemed quite skinny, with sallow skin and dark hair, practically as jet black as hers. Nevertheless, where hers fell in soft waves down her back, his remained straight as a stick, with greasy roots and barely reaching his shoulders. His hooded black eyes seemed to hold general distaste for the world; having set his thin lips in a firm line and looking down his hooked nose at her, he easily managed to make Loraleen feel like she was not exactly welcomed there. The other boy, who appeared to be one- or two-years younger, was leaner and seemingly less unfriendly. As far as physical appearances went, he only shared the hair color with his companion, nonetheless, his was perfectly trimmed and slightly wavy, with a few locks falling charmingly on top of his forehead. His features were also finer, with a straight nose, defined jaw and lighter skin. Still, his eyes were probably the most remarkable part of his appearance. They shined oxford silver; several shades darker than hers but just as captivating.

"They aren't, do come in," answered the later ignoring his friends' glare.

Loraleen stepped in and upon seeing her trunk the young boy raised gracefully from his seat and helped her heave it into the luggage rack. He motioned for her to take his place next to the windowsill and seated himself to her right, sliding the door close as he did.

"I do not think I've had the pleasure of making your acquaintance," said the boy offering his hand. "Regulus Black."

Pure-blood warnings flashed in Loraleen's head at the formal introduction.

"Loraleen Ollerton, it's a pleasure to meet you," replied the witch, placing her hand on his for the customary kiss on the knuckles without missing a beat.

"Likewise, Miss. Ollerton. This is my house mate Severus Snape," introduced Black letting her hand go, nodding his head to the other boy.

"Charmed," half muttered, half grumbled Snape.

Loraleen nodded her head in acknowledgment.

The introductions were cut short by the train's whistle and subsequent parting. The farewells of the family members still standing at the platform drew their attention to the outside. They listened quietly as the voices found a harmony with the students weaving and responding with loud goodbyes from the compartments. As the train gained speed and the platform disappeared from view giving way to the plains and greenery, the three members went back to facing each other.

"Are you a 7th year, Miss. Ollerton? I do not remember having seen you in classes before," started Black, making light conversation to fill the oppressing silence.

Loraleen smiled politely before answering, noticing Snape's scrutiny.

"No, I am 6th year. However, this will be my first year attending Hogwarts," clarified Loraleen as Snape's eyes began to narrow. "Are you a 6th year as well?"

"A 5th year," he said, denying with his head. "Severus is a 6th year though."

It was fairly obvious to the trained eye that Black was trying to prompt Snape to join the conversation regardless of the latter's wishes. As awkward as the situation could be described considering the distaste Snape was showing towards her so far, Loraleen couldn't help but feel slightly amused at their antics.

"Highly unusual to enroll just for the last two years," commented Snape.

"Believe it or not my family and I travel a lot, I was raised partially here and partially in America, by the time my Hogwarts letter came we were departing England."

"Seems awfully solitary," he drawled.

"Not quite," responded Loraleen without elaborating.

Snape just hummed, his black eyes mistrusting.

"Well, do you know about the houses? Hope to be sorted in a particular one?" inquired Black.

Loraleen feigned having to think about it. Resting her elbow on the windowsill and her cheek in the palm of her hand, she inclined her heard slightly in his direction.

"I hope to be placed wherever I'll thrive the most."

"Where do you think that will be?"

"I think my values and traits are pretty evenly distributed. Quite frankly, it could be any of them."

Loraleen turned and looked out the window, detonating her withdrawal from the conversation. She admired the Scottish fields rolling by at high speed, foliage shining bright green under the summer sun. Each minute that went by was a minute that she found herself further from London, further from the bustling and boisterous city she had just gotten back to and making her way into the calm and quiet plains and hills on the countryside, which if she had to be completely honest, were not that appealing.

The rumbling sound of railcars over tracks lulled her into a peaceful state, distracting her from the musings of her companions and leaving her ignorant to the curious glances thrown her way every now and again. At some point during the trip, Snape brought out a Potions book and retreated into himself to read while Black simply laid back comfortably on his side of the bench and closed his eyes composedly.

"Anything sweet for you, dears?" interrupted an elderly lady rolling a trolley by their compartment door, effectively snapping the tree students back to the present.

"What do you say Miss. Ollerton? Any sweet cravings?" asked Black with a mischievous smile.

Loraleen chuckled at his inquiry, not understanding the teasing tone but deciding to play along.

"Only if there are chocolate frogs available," replied the witch, thinking of her unhealthy weakness for chocolate.

Standing from her seat to get close to the cart herself, Loraleen observed the variety of sweets in the trolley -Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Pumpkin Pastries, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, among others-. All in all, a sugared paradise. Black placed his order with the Trolley Witch as Loraleen analyzed her options and handed her the chocolate frog once he had payed.

"Oh, you didn't have to," murmured Loraleen as she realized he had already paid for her as well. Knowing it would be pointless to argue she gave her thanks and replaced the Sickles she had just taken out back in her pocket while declining the kind witch's offer of buying something else.

Black passed Snape a Pumpkin Pastry and made small talk with him as Loraleen opened her chocolate frog. Just as expected, as soon as the chocolate was free from its packaging it tried to bolt. The impatient girl, slightly annoyed at her vivacious sweet, quickly snapped the legs off setting every piece but one back inside the box. The young witch bit into de chocolate with a sigh of delight, enjoying the flavor in her taste buds. Wiping her chocolaty fingers on a spare handkerchief after finishing the small bite, she took the accompanying card and eyed it with an inscrutable expression.

"Salazar Slytherin was the founder of Slytherin house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," started Loraleen aloud. "He was one of the first recorded Parselmouths, an accomplished Legilimens, and a notorious champion of pure-blood supremacy."

"You read it like it's the first time you've seen that card," commented Black before eating the last bite of his pastry.

"More like the other way around, I own more of these than I care to count."

"Do I detect a slight preference over Slytherin house, then?" asked Black with an assertive tone. "I wouldn't blame you, it's the best house after all."

Gathering that they both belonged to Slytherin house given Snape's lack of comment, Loraleen wondered if it would be advisable to mess with them a little.

"I told you before, I am evenly distributed," replied Loraleen with amusement as she licked her second frog leg.

"What do you mean by 'evenly distributed'?" demanded Snape. "Either you belong to a house or you don't, it's as simple as that."

Sensing her chance at making a point, Loraleen took a second to try and understand where Snape's attitude was coming from, considering she wasn't sorted yet and there was no apparent reason for him to be prejudiced against her other than the fact that she was new.

"You see, I don't perceive it quite that way," declared Loraleen after licking her lips and sorting her thoughts. "As far as I understand the sorting is based on what you value the most, and more often than not, what you value aligns with the traits you already have, or you aspire to develop. My belief is that no one can truly belong one hundred percent to one of the houses because that would mean not possessing any of the traits that stand out for the others. Don't you consider yourself intelligent?"

Snape looked affronted at having his intellectual ability questioned.

"Of course I do!" he snapped.

"However, cleverness and intellect are more highly prized in Ravenclaw. The fact that you are Slytherin doesn't mean you are less intelligent, it just means that your cunningness and ambition rank higher in your personality," Loraleen paused to assess their reactions. Both boys seemed to be processing the implications of considering the houses as part of a whole instead of separate entities. "Look at it this way, you are eighty percent Slytherin and that is why you were sorted there in the first place, but what about the other twenty percent? Half of it could stand for Ravenclaw, a quarter for Hufflepuff and a quarter for Gryffindor."

Snape made a noise of distaste at the mention of being five percent Gryffindor causing Loraleen to roll her eyes.

"I think that more often than not, the rivalry between the houses makes everyone forget that in reality the four houses are present in every single person, in varying levels of course, but present nonetheless."

"That is not a bad hypothesis," interjected Black with a far-off look on his face. "In fact, it makes quite some sense."

"What would you really know?" hissed Snape ignoring Black altogether. "You haven't even been sorted."

Loraleen shrugged.

"I did my research before coming, it would have been incredibly stupid on my part to not try to learn about the place where I'll be living for the next two years before arriving."

"And your research led you to analyze the sorting system?"

"An analysis would have taken more effort on my part, this was merely an observation," said the witch nonchalantly, a little smirked threatening to grace her face.

Loraleen wasn't being outright arrogant, in fact those who knew her would say that she was just being playful, and yet she was aware how her statement could come across, especially when paired with her patronizing tone. Not that she used it that often, mind you. She usually reserved it for those who would be able to tell she was just putting on a show, however, it also had a habit of appearing when she was amused over someone else's outrage.

Or scandalized over her actions. Both worked just fine.

Snape clipped his lips together and refrained himself from arguing any further, contenting himself with throwing half meant glares her way as if unsure whether he disliked her for implying he wasn't completely Slytherin, or admiring her train of thought. Black, on the other hand, seemed to be slightly thrown off by the Pure-blood lady sitting next to him, like he didn't know what to make out of her just yet. And well, he probably didn't.

The boys left shortly after, intending to change into their school robes. Loraleen, who was already wearing the signature black robes underneath her cloak, stayed, satisfied with the way she had handled her first meeting with the Slytherins. She was hoping she had made a strong enough impression regarding her stance so, that regardless of the house she was sorted into, she wouldn't be trapped by its stereotype. After all, her family's plans required her to be in good terms with everyone and frankly, she preferred it that way. Conflict and poorly based arguments bored her to death.

If she wanted to be truly honest with herself, she didn't want to judge her future school before arriving and seeing it with her own eyes, but it was hard not to when rumors concerning the rivalry between people and the discrimination based on blood status declared these issues to be as common inside the school as they were outside. She felt strongly about both topics and the fact that the children were growing up believing that nonsense irked her beyond words.

Just as she was about to start rummaging through her bag for a book to pass the time, she spotted a large structure in the distance. Towers stretching into the sky, the opponent formation reminded her why it was sometimes referred to as Hogwarts Castle. The 10th century institution seemed to be patiently waiting for the students to reach its halls, light filtering through to the windows and shining brighter in the dimming sunset with each passing second.

"It seems we have arrived," said Black reentering the compartment with Snape in tow. "Welcome to Hogwarts Miss Ollerton."

"Just Loraleen," she replied without turning, eyes fixed on the castle.

The Hogwarts Express started to slow down and as it approached the platform in Hogsmeade he replied, "Just Regulus." The boy flashed her a charming smile as she faced him. "I insist."

As the train fully stopped, Loraleen smiled as well, satisfaction shining in her eyes as she regarded her new acquaintance with resolve.

_A strong impression indeed_, she thought.


	3. Chapter 2

**Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy**

**Author's note: **Hello there! So much for updating constantly, right? In my defense, I had exams last week, and well, you know how those get. In any case, enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think!

-M

**DISCLAIMER.** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC belongs to me.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Loraleen did not intend to reach Hogwarts through the Black Lake. She did not intend to subject herself to the embarrassment of being the only sixth year among a large group of jumpy first years. And she most definitely did not intend to find herself in the middle of a tiny boat when she could have been seated comfortably in one of those charming horseless carriages. But it seemed destiny enjoyed mocking her far too much as sitting in a boat was precisely where she was at the moment, much to her discontent.

After exiting the Hogwarts Express with her travel acquaintances, she had expressed her vehement desire to go unnoticed and ride a carriage as anyone her age would without much further ado. Unfortunately, her name had been loudly yelled before she could accomplish her goal by whom she now knew, was the current groundskeeper. Having been raised to adapt to unwanted situations quickly and smoothly, she had feigned delight at being informed the headmaster had required her to ride the boats as any new student would, never mind the fact she was actually five years older than the average.

Loraleen had glared at Snape upon spotting his laughing eyes before recovering her poise and politely biding him and Regulus goodbye, distractedly adding that she would see them latter as she was ushered forward by the groundskeeper, who had introduced himself as Hagrid and whom Loraleen highly suspected was a half giant based on his height. The man had told her just how much she would probably enjoy the ride and to find him if she had any trouble getting into the boats. Just after, he had bellowed for the first years to follow him and had led the way through a thick mass of trees. They had gone through a steep and narrow path, which seemed to be leading to the lake; upon reaching the shore gasps had been heard among the gathered group.

Imposing and arresting, just across the Black Lake, Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry perched itself on top of the high mountain. Towers and turrets stretching into the sky, visible in the mist thanks to the bright light filtering through their windows. Stone carved walls composed the magnificent piece of architecture, irradiating old magic and inciting an unexpected sense of belonging in the new students.

Just like that, Loraleen had helped herself to one of the boats after Hagrid's prompting to do so and had found herself seated next to two little girls who were gossiping amongst themselves, their chatter halting only for a moment as the boats had been set in motion. As Loraleen contemplated her fate, her eyes scanned the dark waters surrounding her, the candle hanging from the boat's front casting earie shadows into the water. Unafraid and slightly curious, Loraleen stared, wondering at the ripples formed by whatever hid underneath the surface.

The girl's voice cut though Loraleen's thoughts, drawing her attention away from the water.

"My sister constantly speaks about a sixth year Gryffindor boy who is nothing but trouble, she told me to stay far away from him and his friends if I get sorted into their house."

Loraleen had civilly smiled in acknowledgment at the girls when they had boarded, making sure they would not think she was purposely ignoring them, but keeping to herself. The girls hadn't seemed bothered by her lack of interest and had continued with their conversation, which Loraleen had made a wonderful job a droning out until the little blond had picked her interest.

"I don't really know why though. She said they don't know when too much is too much and that she wouldn't want me to get hurt, apparently..." her voice halted upon hearing Hagrid's instruction to lower their heads.

Just below the cliff's face, behind the ivy, a wide opening hid, leading into an underground harbor. The group climbed out of the boats and followed the groundskeeper up a flight of stairs carved into the stone; their path lit by floating candles every few steps. Loraleen stayed at the back, letting the younger witches and wizards lead the way ahead of her, allowing the difference in height between her and the first years to make up for the distance to the front. The staircase opened into what she assumed was the entrance courtyard; grass surrounded the cobblestone square leading to the main entrance of the building, marked by a massive, oak door.

The 11-year-olds huddled around Hagrid as he knocked trice. The door immediately swung open, a tall witch with her dark hair in a tight bun and clad in green robes stepped out.

"Thanks for bringing the first years to the castle Hagrid," said the witch with a stern tone, managing to reflect her gratitude through it. "I will take it from here."

The witch, whom Hagrid had addressed as Professor McGonagall as he bid her goodnight, motioned for them to follow her into the entrance hall, her eyes stopping for a beat longer on Loraleen as she surveyed the group. Loraleen followed quietly, examining the ample space as she walked in. Torches lit the hall, barely managing to illuminate all the way up to the high ceiling. A wide marble staircase facing the oak door lead into the upper floors, where another set of staircases could be glimpsed. To her right a set of double doors remained closed, yet she could hear the voices of her soon-to-be classmates filtering through.

"This way," instructed Professor McGonagall as she led them in the opposite direction of the double doors and into a spacious antechamber. The professor waited by the doors until every student had walked through the threshold and settled inside, stepping though herself, she closed the door.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," started the witch addressing the group. "You will be joining the other students shortly for the start of term banquet. However, before you can take your seats at the Great Hall, you must be sorted into your Houses."

The witch made a pause, letting the significance of this formality sink in.

"The Sorting Ceremony holds great importance for every student, as it will define in which House you will be for the rest of your time in Hogwarts. Whichever House you go to will become your second family, you will take classes with its members, sleep in the House's dorm rooms, eat at the House's table in the Great Hall and relax in the House's common room.

The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. All them honorable Houses, praised through history for the outstanding witches and wizards they have produced. Each House has a Head of House, which is a professor in charge of overseeing the students in their House. While in Hogwarts, your achievements will grant your House points, any act of misbehavior will most likely cause deductions to your House's score. At the end of the year the House Cup will be awarded, which is a prize for the House with the most accumulated points.

Regardless of which House you go to, I hope you will make a nice addition and feel comfortable among your peers. As the Sorting will start shortly, I suggest you use the remaining minutes to straighten your robes and make yourself presentable," concluded the witch.

She made for the door but stopped as she reached the handle. Turning around, she faced Loraleen and said, "Miss Ollerton, a word if you please."

Loraleen neared the professor as the chamber erupted in low chatter.

"Professor McGonagall," addressed Loraleen with a nod of her head to show respect.

The witch scrutinized her with her piercing emerald eyes for a second, "Miss Ollerton, as your fellow classmates, you will be sorted in the Great Hall. It is usually done alphabetically but because of the uniqueness of your situation you will be sorted last, regardless of your last name. You might join me at the front of the line or wait by the end, it is up to you."

Loraleen assessed her options, not minding being sorted last. With her last name, she would have had to wait anyway.

"I would rather walk at the back, I wouldn't want to be in anyone's way," replied the sixth year sensibly. In truth, she couldn't care less.

"Very well, Miss Ollerton and welcome to Hogwarts."

"Thank you, professor."

With that, Professor McGonagall pulled the handle and left, leaving the new students to their own devices. The majority of the group was talking excitedly about the Sorting Ceremony and wondered aloud what it might consist of. Loraleen, amused, heard the brainstorm and laughed discreetly at the most farfetched ideas, marveled at their imagination. McGonagall came back after a few minutes and demanded the students form a line and follow her, leading them back across the entrance hall and through the open doors of the Great Hall. As she walked, Loraleen noticed the hourglasses standing tall by the double doors, two in each side. Each of them held different colored gems that stayed put as the seconds went by. Loraleen assumed the colors represented the Houses but speculated on what purpose they served.

Her attention refocused on the Great Hall as she crossed the threshold. Four long tables filled the length of the room with students sitting comfortably watching the progression. At the very front, a set of steps led into a raised dais, where another table, perpendicular to the other four, seated the professors and staff. Loraleen admired the enchanted ceiling, charmed to look just the like sky outside, and appreciated the thousands of floating candles which lit up the room with their warm glow.

She noticed the curious glances some students were throwing her way, and ignored them as well as she could, keeping her eyes fixed on the front of the room. She followed the first years as they lined up just in front of the high table and took her place at the furthest corner. On top of the steps, just in front of the professor's table, Professor McGonagall set a four-legged stool, placing an old hat on top of it.

The hall grew silent, everyone's attention focused on the hat. Loraleen stared as well and arched an eyebrow in surprise as a rip near its brim opened wide allowing the hat to begin to sing.

_"If we go back, to founders' time_

_When my presence wasn't needed_

_We'd see our precious students_

_Being sorted by the leaders_

_The four heads of the school_

_Would choose just who to teach _

_For they sought different traits_

_In their prospective trainees_

_Starting with Godric Gryffindor_

_He'd focus on the brave_

_For those of great courage_

_He'd always have a place_

_Yet for Rowena Ravenclaw_

_The cleverest were her goal_

_For those wise beyond measure_

_Would prosper under her words_

_And still there stood the loyal_

_Who Helga Hufflepuff would teach_

_For their honesty and dedication _

_Were the true keys to succeed_

_Salazar Slytherin was the last_

_Who deemed worthy the ambitious _

_He would only accept students_

_Who complied with the old traditions _

_So, time went by and they realized_

_They would not always be around_

_Pouring their magic and their knowledge _

_They created the Sorting Hat!_

_Before you now, I proudly stand_

_Sharing a story of quite old age_

_For my duty is now to quarter_

_And to everyone give a place_

_Don't you worry, don't despair_

_For I know where you shall go_

_But before I can start sorting_

_A warning's waiting to be told_

_Darker times are fast approaching_

_Some would say it's much too late_

_But as long as we are in Hogwarts_

_We stand united nonetheless_

_Don't dare judge, don't dare forget_

_It's the same magic we all share_

_Inside these walls we'll make a stand_

_For a role we must all play_

_But in the meantime, let's enjoy_

_There's a feast waiting for us_

_With nothing else to say_

_Let the Sorting now begin!"_

The hall erupted in loud cheers as the song came to a close and Loraleen found herself clapping along. The witch surveyed the tables and wondered at the cause of the slightly concerned looks in the older students' faces.

Professor McGonagall, unbothered, brought out a scroll and faced the students.

"Alton, Arcidel," bellowed the witch.

The little boy walked forward looking slightly nervous as he sat on the stool and let the hat be placed on top of his head. Barely a few seconds had passed when the rip by the seam opened wide and yelled for all to hear, "Ravenclaw!"

The Ravenclaw table applauded and cheered in welcome, the other Houses following suit in a less excited manner. Professor McGonagall called name after name; the hat sorting every new student into its House in matter of seconds and in selected cases, taking a few minutes. Loraleen recognized the blonde little girl who had shared the boat with her and smiled lightly as she was sorted into Gryffindor. Student after student, they found themselves seated into their respective Houses and soon there were no first years standing by the steps.

"Ollerton, Loraleen," announced Professor McGonagall.

Schooling her features, Loraleen went up the stone steps leading to the small wooden stool. Silence reigned across the hall as she ascended, curious eyes dancing at the prospect of gossip. Students being enrolled so far along their studies was a rare occurrence, almost as rare as receiving transfers from other schools and so it seemed both young and old at Hogwarts were eager to figure out which was the case for her.

Upon reaching the stool, she gracefully sat down. Back straight, hands on her lap, ankles crossed and the mere hint of a smile grazing her lips, simply put, the Pure-blood way. She felt the Sorting Hat being placed on her head, the worn yet soft material settling without a sound.

"Oh! Won't you look at that?" exclaimed a voice inside Loraleen's head. "Miss. Ollerton! I had lost hope on getting the pleasure of sorting you several years ago!"

Loraleen was taken aback by the exuberance in his tone but held her surprise down and marched on.

"We should never give up hope, should we?" teased the brunette.

The hat let out a chuckle.

"True, true, true, but let's get down to business," replied the hat. "Where shall we place you?"

A humming sound filled Loraleen's head, presumably the hat was perusing her memories striving for the perfect fit. Or if her suspicions were correct, for the highest match.

"Very astute, very astute. You would do wonderfully in Slytherin, seems like you have a penchant for perfectionism. Subtle yet driven, definitely traits of the house of snakes" his humming kept going, undecided. "You're hard working and honest yet your loyalty is conditional, it is quickly broken if you feel slighted. No, no, Hufflepuff is not it. Your wariness of manipulators points to Gryffindor, so does your strong moral center and passionate soul, you are willing to own your mistakes which is also a lion trait."

"Shall we analyze my Ravenclaw tendencies while we are at it?" Suggested Loraleen with amusement.

"Well, my dear Miss. Ollerton, being sassy is definitely one of them. You do exhibit a high level of intelligence and creativity, but your desire of learning is born out of duty not for the sake of knowing. Where, where, where..."

Outside their little world, the hall had started to whisper, minute after minute had gone by without so much as a flicker from either the girl or the hat. In the Gryffindor table a group of 6th years conversed animatedly, repeatedly being shushed by an exasperated read-head much to the formers delight.

"Can't you stay quiet Potter? Or is it too much to ask for you to show some respect?" snapped the fiery red-head, hair swishing behind her as she turned to face the laughing boy.

"You hurt me Lily Flower!" exclaimed the aforementioned boy laying his open palm on top of his heart. "I'd never aim to be anything but respectful towards our future classmates."

Lily Evans, 6th year prefect and student extraordinaire huffed at the declaration, clearly in disagreement but holding her thoughts to herself.

"In fact, I-."

"Gryffindor!" Interjected the hat, cutting Potter's sentence in half.

Gryffindor House cheered as Loraleen felt the hat being lifted from her head and with a satisfied smirk she walked confidently to her table. Determined to have dinner with people her own age she skipped the first years at the front and kept going until she reached a cheerful group that seemed more or less what she would expect the sixth years to look like.

Loraleen addressed the group and motioned to a vacant spot between a raven-haired boy who looked mildly familiar and a smiling girl.

"Do you mind if I-."

"Not at all!" exclaimed the raven-haired boy not letting Loraleen finish her question. "However, you must know, I am a free soul, our relationship must be strictly physical."

Loraleen arched an eyebrow at his lewd smirk, unimpressed. She looked him up and down, assessing him without qualms. He had clear, porcelain white skin and shining, shoulder-length black hair that seemed to fall effortlessly around his head. His eyes were a dark oxford grey color, unnervingly familiar, and his features and posture had an aristocratic air that screamed Pure-Blood raising from afar. Loraleen wondered if this was the guy the younger girl had been advised to stay away from and considered how to respond.

Going for her sassy side, as the hat had so kindly pointed out, she replied with seriousness, "It's a good thing we've clarified the nature of our future relationship this early on."

Her lack of outrage at his blatant proposition caused the group to stare at her in surprise.

She smiled flirtingly and added, "In fact," said the witch as she moved closer. "It gives me the right to take corrective measures."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth Loraleen smacked the back of his head, drawing back from him and wiping the flirting look from her face, replacing it with one of self-satisfaction.

"What was that for?!" exclaimed the boy, a frown marring his features.

"Whatever do you mean? You just told me our relationship was meant to physical, isn't this physical enough for you?"

All of them could tell she was playing coy, regardless of the innocent tone she used.

"Not the physical I implied, woman!" he exclaimed with an amused smile on his lips as he rubbed his head.

"Must be more specific in the future then," concluded Loraleen. "In any case, do you mind if I sit?" asked the girl, addressing the group once again.

"Be our guest," said the one with glasses. "Anyone who is immune to Pads charms is welcome to stick around."

Loraleen sat, simultaneously taking her cloak off and laying it across her lap as she replied, "Don't let your fangirls hear you say that, your fan club might become a disinterested club if they learn that ignoring your flirting is the key to gain your company."

"For that to happen they would need to have a fan club," huffed the read head sitting further down the table.

Loraleen eyed the group of girls sitting at the front, who did not seem to have anything else to do but to lovingly stare at the boys sitting around her and wondered if the red head was obvious to the stares or simply in denial.

"Oh, but we do, Evans. Must be quite popular in fact if Ollerton has already heard about it," said the boy. "But don't you concern yourself, my heart is only yours to hold."

"Shame I won't be doing any holding," replied Evans.

"Don't get so cocky," intervened Loraleen. "I had the pleasure of sharing a boat with two first years who had been advised to stay as far away as they could from some troublesome Gryffindors, which I suspect meant this group. Apparently, the girl's older sister is not particularly fond of your merry band."

"What can I say?" said the one with grey eyes as his arm surrounded Loraleen's shoulders, pulling her close to him. "Rejection by this gorgeous specimen is not taken well by everyone."

Loraleen rolled her eyes, ignoring the fact that they seemed rather unbothered by the fact someone had felt compelled to warn their younger siblings away from them, action the witch suspected, had nothing to do with their flirting.

"What's your name anyway?"

"Darling, you are in the presence of the one and only Sirius Black," replied the boy next to her.

"Black?" Loraleen observed him with a critical eye, his slightly wavy black hair, same grey eyes she had considered unique in the train, sharp features and confident air. "Are you Regulus' brother?"

Black physically withdrew, his arm retreating from her shoulders.

"You know my brother?"

His tone had lost its mirth and now it held a somewhat pained, somewhat angry undertone.

"I met him in the train." Contemplating the pros and cons she added, "Charming guy."

Black huffed and Loraleen could not help but notice how different their personalities were, as well as their interactions with strangers. One seemed to embrace Pure-blood culture and etiquette to introduce himself while the other seemed to go out of his way to avoid it.

"Ignore him, they have a complicated relationship." The sandy brown-haired boy explained. Black seemed to be holding himself back from elaborating on that statement. Or maybe it was on hers, she wasn't sure. "I am Remus Lupin, by the way."

Lupin smiled warmly at her, something about him making her feel immediately comfortable. His hair fell on top of his green eyes, slightly hiding them from view. Old scars littered his face, visible against his pale skin, yet his soft features made it pretty much impossible to think of him as anything but a friendly guy. She smiled back, turning her attention to the one with glasses across her, waiting for an introduction.

At the lack of words, Lupin sighed and opened his mouth.

"This is James Potter, the one to his left is Peter Pettigrew and as you can see, this lot has zero manners."

The one introduced as James Potter had, what Loraleen was starting to suspect was incredibly common, jet-black hair. Behind his round glasses, his hazel eyes seemed full of unspent energy, darting around the members of the table. He also possessed what her grandfather would define as proper Chaser's build and so she wondered if the was a Quidditch player. Next to him, Peter Pettigrew, lacked the charming vibe the other tree oozed. He seemed nice yet less confident, his mousy brown hair was tucked back, brown eyes following the conversation but not participating himself. He had a rounder build and Loraleen would bet anything he was shorter in height than his companions, but nonetheless taller than her.

"Oi!" Potter's exclamation drew her focus back to the conversation. "We have manners, in fact we are the most gentlemanly gentleman you will ever meet!" added Potter in mock outrage.

"That doesn't sound promising at all," murmured Loraleen.

The girl next to her laughed at her remark and introduced herself, "Marlene McKinnon, the fiery red-head is Lily Evans. We'll be sharing the sixth year dorm with you and another sixth year."

Lily Evans rolled her eyes as she heard the way she was being introduced but did not complain, probably used to it considering her hair was in fact, a vibrant shade of red. However, her red hair was not what caught Loraleen's attention. It was her lively green doe eyes what made her do a double take. Marlene also had red hair, but hers was a muted shade, probably best described as reddish brown and instead of being straight, like Evans was, hers was slightly wavy at the ends. Her eyes were a chocolaty color with golden specs framed by long lashes. She seemed to be more athletic, yet Loraleen could not define whether or not she was into Quidditch.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," said the witch addressing them all. As an afterthought she added her name at the end, meant as her formal introduction.

After Professor McGonagall removed the stool and everyone got settled, the wizard with the white beard and half-mood spectacles rose from the high table, making everyone quiet with a mere gesture.

"That's Albus Dumbledore," whispered Marlene next to her. "He is the headmaster."

Loraleen nodded, recognizing the name, her parents had mentioned him before, sometimes agreeing with something he did and sometimes critiquing his actions. He was the kind of wizard who could inspire both reactions.

Dumbledore spread his arms wide and said, "Welcome, to those who will walk these halls for the first time and to those who will once more. Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."

Loraleen arched an eyebrow as clapping and cheering filled the hall at the wizard's choice of words, momentarily making her wonder at the sanity of the Headmaster and her peers. As the wizard sat back down the table in front of her filled with food, every previously empty inch of space filled with platers to everyone's delight.

The start of term feast had officially begun.


	4. Chapter 3

**Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy**

**Author's note: **I'm back! And I must say I am very excited to see what you think of this chapter. Also, I truly wanted to thank those who have reviewed, liked and/or followed the story, genuinely, it warms my heart to see that you are enjoying it. That being said, enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think. :)

PS. If you get a notification of a preface being posted, I'll just let you know that it is exactly the same preface I wrote from the start which I foolishly delated at some point a few weeks back.

-M

**DISCLAIMER.** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC belongs to me.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Loraleen looked around as everyone reached for the steaming dishes and started serving themselves. Her peers' silver plates quickly filling to their hearts content as the main dishes magically refilled themselves. Across from her, on the Slytherin table, Loraleen spotted Regulus and Snape as they chatted with the other Slytherins, nodding in agreement to whatever was being said. As if feeling her eyes on him, Regulus glanced her way, giving her a faint smile and a nod of the head upon meeting her eyes. Elated over the fact that their tentative relationship had not been affected by the Sorting, Loraleen smiled in return and watched him refocus on the conversation he was having.

"-roast chicken?"

Loraleen heard the end of Lupin's question and faced the boy hoping to gain some context. He was holding a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, looking at her expectantly, probably waiting for her answer.

"Sorry, what did you ask?" replied Loraleen sheepishly.

"Already spacing out, Ollerton?" teased her Black as he reached for the boiled vegetables, his mischievous tone back in place. "I know my presence can be distracting, but it shouldn't stop you from enjoying the feast."

Loraleen rolled her eyes but decided to ignore him as Lupin asked again, "Would you like some roast chicken?"

"Ah, yes, thank you," answered the witch, passing him her plate.

"So, Ollerton," started Potter with an excited gleam in his eyes. "Do you happen to be related to Bill Ollerton?"

Loraleen sighed good naturedly, she really should have seen that question coming.

"I am," answered the witch extending her hand to take her plate back from Lupin and reached for the boiled potatoes as she continued, "In fact, he is my grandfather."

"Wicked!" exclaimed Black. "You must be a natural on a broom."

Loraleen shrugged but did not elaborate.

"Who is Bill Ollerton?" inquired Marlene after taking a sip from her goblet.

Both boys looked at her like she had just asked why the sky was blue, Loraleen smiled at their expressions and started to answer while raising her fork.

"He is-," her words were interrupted by Black.

"The founder of the Cleansweep Broom Company!" exclaimed the aforementioned boy with excitement. "They produce some of the best brooms for Quidditch."

"Exactly," agreed Loraleen, slightly miffed at his interruption. "Hold on," the witch faced him with fake outrage, "_Some_ of the best?"

"Don't listen to him," intervened Marlene. "I've always owned Cleansweeps and they are the best, in fact, I learned how to fly on one," stated the witch proudly.

"Now, how would you know they are the best if you haven't tried the other brands?" asked Lupin with a smirk.

Loraleen laughed at his sass, not expecting it from him. Marlene on the other hand frowned and proceeded to go on rant about how it wasn't necessary for her to try other brands when she had already found her perfect match.

"It's still not objective," concluded Lupin.

Ignoring him, Marlene addressed her, "Do you fly, Loraleen?"

Loraleen swallowed her food and brought her napkin to her lips to wipe them off.

"Yes, I do. I have been testing brooms since I was in nappies. It's second nature by now."

"Are you any good at Quidditch, though?" inquired Potter, sizing her up.

"I'll have you know; I am nothing short of exceptional," said the witch confidently. "I can hold my ground like any proficient player."

"You wouldn't mind if we made a little wager then," insinuated Potter, setting his fork down and lacing his hands under his chin.

"She just arrived James, seriously?" said Lupin rolling his eyes, disapproving.

Loraleen knew what he meant, however, she was enjoying the important-personal-details-free conversation and wanted to keep it going, besides, she did like to fly.

"I am all ears," said Loraleen, setting her fork down as well and mimicking his position.

"Your team vs mine, the loser has to do whatever the winner demands."

Loraleen pondered his bet, it was awfully unspecific. She knew he was most likely considering this as a harmless bet, a means to get her to do something embarrassing while she, on the other hand, was thinking about the impact this would have on far more relevant matters. Accepting would give her an excuse to mingle about and even if she lost it would be a win in her book. Now, if she won, well, that was even better.

The young witch contemplated the pros and cons as she took a sip from her goblet. If she decided to move forth with this bet, she knew she wouldn't just be creating a Quidditch team. No, she would be creating something more everlasting, what some would call an inner circle if you may, and that meant that those on her team would have to be trustworthy and carefully selected, not only for their Quidditch potential but for their potential to become some of her most trusted friends and allies.

Loraleen eyed Potter carefully, reaching her decision, "It's on, Potter. However, I don't know anyone here, so I propose we hold this match halfway through term, that way I'll have a fair chance at forming a decent team."

"Wise request," mumbled Lupin, nodding his agreement at her petition.

"And," added the witch, hearing no complain on her first request. "Whatever it is the winner demands it cannot pose a danger to either the loser or anyone else, nor cause their expulsion or any life ruining consequences," continued Loraleen.

Potter smiled brightly, "Agreed, it is set. We'll define the date once the Quidditch schedule is announced," declared the boy picking his fork once again to continue his dinner, seeming quite pleased with himself. "I don't know if I failed to mention it, but I am part of our House's team and well, I cannot miss a match," said the boy smugly.

His halfhearted attempt at intimidating her caused a grin to grace her lips for a second. She adored a good challenge, and this would prove to be a good cover for her plans as well as something to write about to her parents when they inevitably asked if she was getting along with her peers. Granted, they probably didn't have a bet in mind when they said that they wanted her to distract herself from her responsibilities, but it would have to do for now.

"Only you would place a bet with a relative stranger Potter," chuckled Marlene. "You didn't even try to measure her up first on the field. For all we know, she is a prodigy and you just gave her the chance to publicly kick your ass."

"What can I say? I am confident in our team's excellence."

"Cocky much?" teased Loraleen.

"When you are great you get the right to brag," said Black with a shrug, supporting his friend.

Loraleen stayed quiet, deciding to let the comment pass and focused on finishing her dinner. Her mind was going a mile a minute thinking about the match and the potential this bet held.

_So many possibilities_, thought the witch to herself.

"So, Ollerton," prompted Black after a few minutes. "What brings you here?"

Loraleen took a second to answer, she knew they would eventually ask but she was hopping they would let it slide, at least for tonight. It was no secret among those who knew her that the young witch despised lies, but with time she had also learned that sometimes they were a necessary evil and when needed the best way to make them believable was by keeping them as close to the truth as possible.

"Well," the witch said, "My parents felt it was time for us to settle down and stop moving so much. You see, my father was in charge of handling business in America for the company so my mother and I would always travel with him wherever he went. Last year, they decided to pass along the responsibility to someone else and come back to London."

"That certainly explains your accent."

Loraleen sniggered, "I know what you mean, it's not American but not quite British either, I guess all the traveling back and forth had a weird impact on it."

"It's nice, though," said Lupin. "I have been trying to figure out where it is from since you joined our table, but I couldn't quite place it."

"It does sound lovely," agreed Marlene, pushing her empty plate away from her.

"If your traveled so much and were constantly moving," started Evans, rejoining our conversation now that we had moved on to a different topic. "Why didn't they enroll you at Hogwarts from first year?"

_To __make sure I would be prepared_, thought Loraleen somberly but to the outward world she only smirked.

"My mother is an exceptional witch." answered Loraleen as justification.

Evans frowned slightly, not seeing what that had to do with anything and proceeded to voice her thoughts.

With a laugh, Loraleen explained, "My mother started teaching me the fundamentals of magic as soon as I had my first burst of accidental magic. By the time my Hogwarts letter arrived I already knew 95% of the coursework for first years. They figured it would be good for me to not only learn magic but also culture, and so we left."

"But what about meeting people you own age? Wouldn't traveling with them keep you away from developing social skills?"

Loraleen laughed whole-heartedly at the implications and watched as the main courses disappeared to be replaced with dessert, her eyes immediately landing on the chocolate pudding.

"It's not like I was trapped in a dungeon or a tower," replied the witch with honest mirth in her eyes. "My mother is a friend of Ilvermorny's Headmistress, so I was always invited to watch the Quodpot matches, so long as we were around Massachusetts that is," justified Loraleen waving a hand and helping herself to the pudding. "Besides, there are more young witches and wizards who are homeschooled than you might think, so even though I didn't enroll to a school I still grew up knowing a lot of people from different ages and diverse backgrounds."

Evans opened her mouth to further their conversation, seemingly interested in the American school, but was beat by Pettigrew.

"Did you say Quodpot?" asked the boy, "Don't you mean Quidditch?"

Loraleen looked his way slightly surprised. He had not asked her anything at all as dinner progressed. In fact, she didn't think she had heard him speak at all before now.

"Yes," she said, snapping out of her shock and smiling warmly. "Never heard of it?"

The boy denied with his head.

"I have heard of it," added Black. "Although it beats me why anyone would prefer it over Quidditch."

Loraleen hummed, "I guess it is not for everyone, but you have to admit it is pretty exciting."

"How so?" asked Evans, not recognizing the game they were talking about.

"Well, in Quidditch you have a lot going on, I mean, you have the quaffle, the bludggers, the snitch and so the team members divide to handle the three balls. On the other hand, in Quodpot, you only have a ball, the Quod, and to score the team has to get the ball across the field to the pot before it explodes."

"Before it explodes?!" exclaimed Evans, taken aback.

"Not going to lie, the idea of a ball exploding on the Slytherin's captain face does have its appeal," cackled Potter.

Loraleen laughed as well and licked her spoon clean with a contented sigh.

"Is Ilvermorny similar to Hogwarts?" asked Lupin, curious.

"Well, as far as I can tell the system is similar. The students get sorted into Houses but are not divided into common rooms according to the Sorting, so they get to spend time with each other regardless of their House. Academically speaking, I can't really compare seeing as I haven't taken any classes neither here nor there. I did sit through a Potion's class at Ilvermorny once but that's hardly enough to judge, from what I remember though, they seem to have different options regarding advanced classes."

Marlene hummed, "Did you ever consider enrolling there?"

"I suppose I did consider it at some point, but I have always enjoyed the freedom my private classes provided, so I never truly set my mind on it."

"Why made you change your mind?" asked Evans.

Loraleen frowned, not following, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, what made you enroll at Hogwarts? You just said you liked being homeschooled so why the change of heart?"

Loraleen thought for a minute about how to phrase her answer and then said, "I figured it would be nice to get the whole academic experience and well, given my parents and I are finally settling down I felt it was only right to make some friends here."

Evans nodded at the same time the leftover's desserts disappeared. Professor Dumbledore rose from his seat and cleared his throat, claiming everyone's attention; all chatter ceased, and the hall went silent at once.

"I hope everyone has enjoyed the feast," started the Headmaster. "Before you retire for the night though, I have a few notices to give you. For those who are just joining us, do note, the forest on the grounds is strictly forbidden to all students."

His eyes wandered around the hall, focusing on the first years and a few of the older students.

"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you that magic should not be performed between classes in the corridors, please, heed his warning. On a different matter entirely, Quidditch trials will be held during the second week of term as per usual, those interested should contact Madam Hooch.

It goes without saying that I expect everyone to give a warm welcome to our new first years as well as Miss. Ollerton, who will be joining the 6th years."

Loraleen felt the piercing stares of her classmates as the last words were uttered and wondered if it was really necessary to point her out.

"That being said," continued Dumbledore. "You are dismissed, have a pleasant night."

Loraleen swiveled around and saw Evans and Lupin already standing and heading in the direction of the first years, Evans' voice instructing them to gather around.

"She is a natural, isn't she?" asked Marlene, following her gaze. "Lily has always had a charm for leading people and getting them to listen. We always knew she would end up as a prefect."

Loraleen nodded, not really knowing how to answer.

"Boring," said Black elongating the o. "She cares too much about rules, which brings the question forth, do you play by the rules, Ollerton?" asked the wizard with a suggestive smirk.

Loraleen returned the smirk and thought about the last few years.

"You will have to wait and see," replied the witch vaguely, if mischievously.

With that, she rose from her seat, folding her cloak on her arm and following Marleen and the boys out of the Great Hall. They led the way up the wide marble staircase she had spotted upon her arrival and barely paid attention as her companions made idle chat about the start of term. Loraleen stayed quiet, opting to look around and familiarize herself with her new home.

The main marble staircase opened into a rectangular space with another staircase leading to the second floor. Loraleen looked up and saw stairs parallel to every wall, going on and on as far as her eyes could reach. A few sets of stairs were perpendicular, connecting opposite ends and to her surprise, they were moving every few seconds to reach different landings. The walls, in contrast to the ones in the Entrance Hall, were anything but bare, every visible inch was covered with portraits, which she made note, were chatting happily while they observed the students fill the stairs once more.

Up and up they went and Loraleen was just thinking about asking just how far their Common Room was, when they finally reached the seventh floor. They walked further down the hall until they reached a landing with a portrait of an overweight lady wearing a pink dress.

Marlene saw her confused expression and elaborated, "That's the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, to go in, you have to tell the Fat Lady the password otherwise you will be stranded outside until someone either comes out, or says the right password to go in."

"How often does the password change?" asked Loraleen eyeing the portrait with newfound interest.

"Weekly, the new password is always posted on the notice board, I'll point it out when we go in."

"Legendary," said Potter after greeting the Fat Lady.

The portrait swung open, revealing the secret archway hidden behind it. Mesmerized at the prospect of secret rooms similarly hidden throughout the castle, Loraleen stepped through. Decked in red, gold and varying shades of those two, Gryffindor Common Room oozed warmth, comfort and familiarity. The ample space was furnished with armchairs and couches, both strategically placed near the roaring stone fireplace and the high windows. Loraleen raised an eyebrow with amusement as she spotted the books and parchment already laying on the worktables on the opposite side of the room and wondered who in their right mind had left them there on their first night back. To the furthest end from where she stood, two spiral staircases led off in different directions, most likely, the dormitories.

"Cozy, right?" asked Black, letting himself plop down in the closest armchair, closely followed by the others.

"Cozy, indeed," replied the witch fighting a yawn.

"Come on, sleepyhead," said Marlene. "I'll show you to our dorm."

Loraleen nodded and bid the boys a pleasant night, laughing as they complained over the fact it was too early to go to bed. She followed Marlene up the flight of stairs and stopped upon reaching a wooden door with a golden plate engraved with the words "_6th Years_". The witch swung the door open and stepped aside to let Loraleen through.

The dormitory was composed of four poster beds made of dark mahogany wood. Deep red curtains surrounded each bed, matching the dark duvets and making contrast with the cream sheets and pillows, whose golden lining glimmered under the light. Next to each bed, a mahogany nightstand provided space for important personal objects and by its size, it also acted as a drawer of sorts. Floor to ceiling windows were embedded into the stone walls between each bed, framed by heavy curtains. Loraleen spotted her trunk, lying closed at the bottom of one of the beds and reached for it, walking over the fluffy carpet as she did.

"The bathroom is through that door, we are fortunate enough to share one between the four of us," explained Marlene pointing to the door. "I am going to head back down and wait for Lily and Alice to show up, make yourself at home!" exclaimed the read head leaving Loraleen to her devices.

Loraleen smiled at Marlene's thoughtfulness, it was obvious to her that the witch was giving her some space to settle down and Loraleen wholeheartedly appreciated it. The young witch took a deep breath and walked to the window next to her bed, drawing back the curtain Loraleen admired the view from the top of the tower, the moon shone brightly on the sky, illuminating the treetops of the so-called Forbidden Forest. She saw from afar the outline of an owl, making its way to the tower, and recognized it immediately as her own.

"Enjoying the night sky, Fuzzwick?" asked the witch as the tawny owl landed on the windowsill, hooting in apparent agreement.

Loraleen smiled fondly in his direction, remembering her mother presenting it her a few years back.

Thinking about her mother, Loraleen retraced her steps back to her trunk, taking out a piece of parchment and a quill she leaned on her desk to write just one word. The witch rejoined the owl by the window and blew on the parchment, impatiently waiting for the ink to dry. Written in her loopy writing, the word Gryffindor remained solitary in the otherwise blank page, but as she rolled it up and tied it to Fizzwick's leg, she knew her mother would be able to see the underlying message she was trying to convey.

"Take it to my mother," instructed the witch. "Don't wait for an answer."

The tawny owl hooted and took flight, disappearing in the night as Loraleen thought about the Sorting.

_"The Sorting in Hogwarts has a flaw the Founders didn't seem to consider when they came up with the system_," Loraleen's mother had told her once while leaving Ilvermorny's grounds on a particularly uneventful evening. _"Once you get Sorted, you House becomes everything, and rivalry undermines potential friendships with the other Houses. It's a shame that the Sorting has come to symbolize a division instead of unity, our world would be better if the Houses didn't set expectations on who its members should consider worthy of companionship."_

Loraleen closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air, carefully considering her mother's words before dismissing her jumbled thoughts in favor of unpacking. She would have time to analyze the dynamics tomorrow, for now, she was calling it a day. With a decisive nod, she turned and started emptying her trunk on her bed.


	5. Chapter 4

**Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy**

**Author's note: **Hello everyone! Welcome back! If you are enjoying the story feel free to let me know what you think and as per usual, happy reading!

-M

**DISCLAIMER.** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC belongs to me.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Loraleen." The girl in question arched an eyebrow to signal she was listening. "Professor McGonagall asked me to tell you that she will be expecting you in her office before breakfast is over," said Evans firmly. "I would have told you last night, but you were already asleep by the time I got back," she added, somewhat sheepishly.

"That's alright," replied Loraleen as she finished buckling her Mary Jane platforms. The young witch stood, feeling several inches taller and ready to tackle the day. Facing Evans, she questioned, "Did she mention what she wanted to talk to me about?"

"Not really," murmured Evans distractedly, platting her hair with ease. "Although I suppose it might have to do with your class schedule. She was sorting those out yesterday when I reported to her office."

Loraleen hummed in response, frowning as she reached for her bag. She knew for a fact her OWL results and her preferred courses for this year had been owled alongside the rest of the enrollment paperwork several weeks ago.

"I have duties to attend to before breakfast, but Remus offered to show you to Professor McGonagall's office," said the red head securing her braid with a broch. "He should be waiting for you at the Common Room by now."

Loraleen's eyes snapped up upon hearing her declaration and grimaced at the prospect of making someone wait.

"And why didn't you say so before?!" Before Evans could reply, Loraleen opened the room's door and rushed down the spiral staircase, hoping the clicks of her heels weren't as deafening to her sleeping roommates as they felt to her.

Being 7.15 in the morning, both Marlene and Alice, who she had yet to meet, were still sleeping in their beds with their curtains drawn. From what she could gather from Evans, they had stayed up late last night and as such, she assumed it was safe to infer the other Gryffindor girls were asleep as well as she hurried down and passed by their closed dorm doors.

Loraleen had woken sometime around 6.30, used to early mornings, and she had decided to take a quick shower and get ready for the day as if suspecting it was in her best interest to do so, which had totally paid off, considering her surprise meeting.

As Loraleen rushed into the Common Room she noticed the lack of people, which quickly confirmed her earlier inference, and easily spotted a sandy brown-haired boy reading comfortably by the fire. Lupin rose from his seat as soon as he noticed her making her way towards him, a friendly smile on his lips.

Loraleen gave him an apologetic smile, "I am sorry to keep you waiting, Evans just told me you were here."

"Nothing to apologize for," said Lupin playing with the corners of his book. "I didn't expect you to be up so early, but if you are ready, we might as well head out. That way you will have a chance to have breakfast after meeting Professor McGonagall."

"That would be perfect, thank you."

Lupin led the way out of the Common Room, walking her back to the stairs in contented silence. As they went down, Loraleen admired the castle as natural light filtered in. Somehow it made it seem less never-ending as she looked up and at the same time more mystical.

"Did you sleep well?" Asked Lupin breaking the silence.

"I did, the dorm is gorgeous and even if it is not my bed, I must admit the four-poster is rather comfortable," said Loraleen with satisfaction. "What about you? Evans said the girls had stayed up most of the night, but she didn't elaborate."

"The lads and I stayed with them until midnight and then retired to our room, not that we slept much, mind you, but we wanted to catch up, among other things."

Loraleen spotted the playful glint in his eyes and wondered what exactly 'among other things' consisted of. The witch raised an eyebrow to signal she had noticed but decided not to question his statement and settled herself for small talk as they approached Professor McGonagall's office on the first-floor corridor.

"Would you like me to stick around?"

"That's alright," said the witch. "I recognized the staircase leading to the Great Hall as we passed by, I shouldn't have trouble finding my own way. As for the meeting, Professor McGonagall seems like a sensible woman, I don't believe she has any reason to expel me as of yet," added Loraleen with a wink. "I'll be fine."

Lupin nodded amusedly and wished her good luck, retreating the way they had come. Loraleen fixed her gaze on his back, watching him disappear down the hall and after taking a deep breath she knocked twice.

Professor McGonagall's voice bid her to enter and Loraleen did so with the poise and grace she reserved for when in presence of her elders. The office resembled more a small study than an airy space as the young witch had expected. A roaring fire warmed the room in the large fireplace, crackling away in merriment. The large windows overlooked the training fields and not far off, the Quidditch Pitch proudly stood, currently empty. Sitting behind her desk, her Head of House watched as her srudent's eyes wandered about the room, with a firm yet kind look behind her spectacles.

"Please Miss. Ollerton, have a sit," said Professor McGonagall motioning towards the empty chairs in front of her desk. "I am sure you must be wondering what this meeting is about."

"I am not going to lie Professor, I am rather curious," replied the witch as she took her seat, focusing her attention solely on her instructor.

"You see Miss. Ollerton, before a student takes their O.W.L.s during their fifth year a meeting is scheduled with their Head of House with the main purpose of giving career advice. It is a way for us professors to help the students figure out which exams they need to excel at in order to pursue they ideal career," explained Professor McGonagall, tackling a topic Loraleen had not expected. "Your O.W.L.s are exceptional, eight "Outstandings" and two "Exceeds Expectations" is no small feat, and as I suppose you know, it gives you the opportunity to pursue pretty much any career you wish. Regardless, I felt it necessary to address the topic with you prior the start of term, which brings the question forth, what would you like to do after you graduate Miss. Ollerton?"

Loraleen considered the question carefully, racking her brain for a truthful answer and yet, she came up blank.

"To be truthful professor, I am undecided," replied the young witch levelly. "I have considered pursuing a Mastery in either Charms, Arithmancy or Ancient Runes and becoming a professor myself. I have also explored the idea of becoming a Curse Breaker, however I am unsure as to which will be my final choice." Loraleen pondered her own words before adding, "Maybe it won't be either of those."

Professor McGonagall regarded her with an inexpressible face, seemingly considering her words.

"Is that the reason you didn't drop but two subjects for your N.E.W.T level classes?"

"Partially."

Loraleen wanted to be straightforward, she really did. She wanted to explain to the older witch how she didn't expect to get the opportunity of exercising either of those professions if the war took a turn for the worst and as such, sitting down to wrack her brain in order to choose a career was kind of a pointless affair in her book. She wished she could tell her that the real reason she was taking as many subjects as she was had more to do with the fact that she didn't want to be taken by surprise. She wanted to be proficient in every field to be able to protect those she cared about when the time came. She wanted to be prepared, just like her parents had wanted her to be, and multiple subjects gave her that reassurance.

"Well Miss. Ollerton, from what I can tell you wouldn't have any difficulty if you decide to pursue a Mastery in your desired subjects, considering your O.W.L.s and the fact that you have already stated your interest in taking the N.E.W.T courses for said subjects, I would say you are covered. As for your other option, curse breaking requires N.E.W.T.s in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Ancient Runes, which again, are subjects you already mentioned being interested on in your enrollment papers."

Professor McGonagall took a rolled-up parchment from her desk, extended it in front of her and tapped it twice with her wand. Black writing started to appear, and it quickly covered the parchment creating a schedule.

"I do believe you are one of our most promising students Miss. Ollerton, regardless of which path you choose," said the witch handing her the scroll with a caring tightlipped smile. "If you ever need to discuss your career plans, my office is always open."

Loraleen smiled to her professor and reached for her schedule, quickly looking it over to verify her subjects were in fact those she wanted to take.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I'll keep it in mind."

Professor McGonagall dismissed her and wished her a lovely first day after making sure she knew how to get to the Great Hall for breakfast. Loraleen made her way back to the Entrance Hall, down the main stairs and into the spacious Great Hall without trouble, a little smile curving the corners of her mouth as she went.

"Well, look who finally decided to join us," teased Marlene, spotting her as she walked confidently to their table, where the witch, Black and Lupin sat comfortably making small talk.

"Did the sheets glue themselves to you, doll? Or were you just gathering courage to face this dashing face?" asked Black as she reached them.

"I'll have you know, Sirius Black, that I have been up longer than you have," replied Loraleen.

"Now, how can you be so sure, darling? Have you been spying on me?" Backfired the boy with a suggestive wiggle of his brows.

Loraleen groaned, "I'd rather spy on the giant squid than following you around like a mindless fool, it would provide more entertainment than you would."

Lupin laughed at her remark but kept on finishing his breakfast. Deciding to go easy on her stomach, Loraleen made a beeline for the fruit bowl and contemplated the pros and cons of getting a butter bread with the tempting strawberry jam laying just out of her reach.

"Do have your schedule? Lily dropped ours earlier today."

At Loraleen's nod Marlene exclaimed, "We should compare!" And immediately reached for her bag. Loraleen passed hers to her excitable companion without too much fuss, letting her do as she pleased.

"Dear Merlin!" exclaimed Marlene openmouthed as she analyzed Loraleen's schedule. "Do you have a death wish? How come McGonagall allowed you to sign up for eight N.E.W.T level subjects?!"

"Is there a problem with that?" replied Loraleen carelessly.

"Five or six is the average and yet, most people struggle to keep up with the coursework, how are you going to handle eight?"

"At the expense of her social life I would bet," butted in Black. "It's a shame doll, I was looking forward to spending some quality time with you."

"I would rather sacrifice my social life in order to gain knowledge than sacrifice my academic life in order to become an easy lay," fired back Loraleen. "In any case, don't worry about me, I'll handle it just fine. Which subjects are you taking?"

"Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, and Charms. Five in total, which is a sensible decision."

Loraleen rolled her eyes, "My eight are totally sensible as well." She pondered the subjects Marleen had listed before adding, "Auror?"

"Yes," confirmed the witch with a delighted smile.

"Well doll, it seems Prongs and I will be delighting your day for the next two years, seeing as we are taking the same subjects as Marlene and by default, you."

Loraleen made a split-second decision and addressed Lupin rather desperately.

"Please," begged the witch. "Tell me you are taking the same subjects; I don't think I can handle being in his presence for long periods of time without a mediator or someone to keep him leashed."

"Oi! I resent the leashed part."

"Four out of five," answered Lupin with a small grin. "I am not taking Herbology, so you are on your own for that one."

"Thank Merlin for small mercies," exclaimed Loraleen raising her hands dramatically in what everybody assumed was a thank you sign.

As Loraleen lowered her hands a parliament of owls flew in, most of them dropping The Daily Prophet and a few parcels to the present students. A long-eared owl with light brown and slightly golden feathers approached the Gryffindor table swiftly, landing in front of Loraleen with a hoot, which the witch took as a greeting.

"Good morning to you too, Taistealaí," said Loraleen passing the owl a piece of bacon, keeping it entertained as she took the letter attached to its outstretched leg. "Have a safe flight home," added the witch as the owl took off with another hoot.

"That's one hell of a gorgeous owl," whistled Black as he admired the animal fly off.

Loraleen resisted the impulse of making an inappropriate remark to his statement and simply explained, "It's my mother's."

"What's its name again? I didn't quite catch it," asked Lupin watching the bird disappear as well.

"Taistealaí," answered Loraleen with a smile. "It's Irish for traveler."

"I didn't know you could speak Irish!" exclaimed a surprised Marlene, much to her friends' enjoyment.

"I do not, but my mother thought it was a fitting yet original name, she's always been fond of the language."

Eyeing the letter, Loraleen slipped it inside her bag's inside pocket, deeming it wise to wait until she was alone to read it. Finishing her fruit and deciding to stay away from the tempting jam for now, the witch stood with the rest of her companions and together, they made their way to the third floor for their Defense Against the Dark Arts class, talking amicably amongst themselves as they went.

Loraleen memorized the route, set on becoming an independent wanderer of the castle as soon as possible and placed a mental tab on the room's door as they arrived to their destination. The classroom was composed of a rectangular space with a large set of windows behind the professor's desk. Shelves full of books and other questionable items framed the windows on both sides, reminding her of a library. A crystal chandelier cast a warm glow over the room, harmoniously reaching the corners the natural light did not. The rest of the space was filled with tables and chairs, four rows of double desks were spread out for the students, with ample space for walking unobstructed.

As soon as the quartet crossed the threshold Black proceed to drop down next to Potter, who was already sitting a table chatting away with a friendly-looking blonde.

"Alice! Finally!" exclaimed Marlene. "I've been trying to introduce you to Loraleen since the feast."

The girl who appeared to be the missing roommate turned their way immediately upon hearing her name, halting the conversation. The petite girl had wavy ginger blonde hair and a fair complexion, her dark green eyes seemed full of kindness and a natural smile seemed to light up her face with a charming yet resolved air.

"You make it sound like I have been purposely avoiding you which is not the case at all," said the girl with a laugh. Facing Loraleen, she extended her hand and introduced herself properly. "I am Alice Fortescue; it is a pleasure to meet you."

Loraleen shook her hand, pleased with her new acquittance. "Loraleen Ollerton."

Students from the other houses started to file in, quickly filling the empty spots at the other tables. Evans waltzed into the room and headed in their direction, dropping her bag and books in one of the empty desks as she went.

"Evans!" exclaimed Potter delightfully, leaning forward on his desk and plastering a mischievous smirk on his face. "Are you willing to honor me with the pleasure of your enchanting company during the first Hogsmeade weekend?"

"No, not the first, nor the second, nor any weekend, Potter," replied the witch with a scoff, which quickly turned into a kind smile as she addressed Loraleen. "I wanted to apologize for this morning, I didn't think it would upset you so and I hope you were not late."

"There is nothing to forgive, I reacted a bit dramatically in hindsight. Although the apology is highly appreciated," replied Loraleen being completely honest. Lily Evans had struck her as the self-righteous kind of girl how never asks for forgiveness and was pleasantly surprised to discover she was not.

Looking happy with her answer, Evans whisked Marlene away in a flurry of words and hand gestures quickly reciprocated by the later.

"Come," said Alice, rolling her eyes at the pair. "Marleen and Lily usually sit together at the front; you and I can share a desk behind them."

Setting her things next to Alice's she found herself sandwiched between Gryffindors. Lily and Marlene sat in front of her, Sirius and James behind her and to her left Remus had joined Peter Pettigrew. The Slytherins were sitting to Alice's right but she could only recognize Snape, who was effectively ignoring the world in favor of the Potion's book he had in the train. The Ravenclaws were mostly in the front, next to Lily and Marlene and the Hufflepuffs were scattered about, not exactly banding together.

"Welcome! Welcome!" exclaimed an exuberant middle-aged woman with an extremely cheerful and high-pitched voice as the clock struck nine. The apparent professor wore professional black robes and arranged her hair in a tight bun making it seem like a poor imitation of Professor McGonagall's perfectly neat hairstyle. She walked with a skip to her step and leaned back on her desk facing the students, a smile perpetually stuck to her face.

"First and foremost, I'd would like to congratulate you on your O.W.L results, if you are in this classroom you must have achieved either an Outstanding or an Exceeds Expectations and that is a merit on its own," said the witch eyeing the students one by one, as if trying to memorize every single detail on their faces. "My name is Idony Fontaine and I will instruct you on your journey to N.E.W.T level greatness in Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. As you can probably imagine, as a N.E.W.T level course, this year's class will demand more from every single one of you and I expect you to raise to the challenge accordingly, as your future is practically being written as we speak."

Loraleen glanced at Alice out of the corner of her eye, wondering if she was the only one utterly taken aback by the unbelievable amount of cheer and sweetness radiating from Professor Fontaine.

"I would usually start the year by doing a full review of the topics covered last year but as I am sure you are sick of those after all the studying you had to do for your O.W.L.s we are going to dive right in into our 6th year curriculum by addressing the last topic you covered last year and linking it to our first practical class," she made a dramatic pause for effect and added, "Dementors."

Loraleen laid back on her seat, interested despite herself on the curious ways of her first Professor and wondered to herself if all of them would follow a similar pattern. Picturing her Head of House teaching Transfiguration which such cheerfulness made her smile to herself. Extreme cheeriness was definitely not going to be a pattern.

A few students raised their hands drawing Loraleen's attention to the class once again.

"Miss…" started Professor Fontaine looking at Lily.

"Evans, Professor." The teacher nodded for her to continue, adding a gesture with her hand to make her instruction clear.

"A dementor is a wraithlike creature, known for sucking the happiness out of their victims in order to feed, thus generating a sense of despair and hopelessness in their preys which can cause the inability to focus on anything else but their depression after long exposure."

"Very well, Miss Evans. Five points to Gryffindor." said the witch with a satisfied nod. "Dementors are one of the foulest beings in existence. They thrive in the darkness they create, and as such tend to inhabit places full of bleakness, where they can bask in the decay and chaos. These creatures are as soundless as a wraith and as such a human cannot hear them approach. However, it is possible to sense them," lectured Fontaine, walking through the desks. "How?"

A Ravenclaw introduced herself as Miss. Catchlove and answered, "When a dementor approaches all warmth is replaced by cold as the darkness closes in, so a way to infer they are near is by recognizing drastic temperature changes."

Professor Fontaine congratulated the student and after awarding points she continued on. She discussed the physical appearance of dementors and stressed the fact that they are unseeing creatures, which are usually drawn to humans when they feel fear in their victims. The class discussed their nature and the possible desires that drive a creature such as this, other than the wish to feed that is, and finally, they focused on their mortality.

"There is no known way to kill a dementor, but they can be driven off by the Patronus Charm, an ancient and highly difficult spell which can evoke positive energy in the form of a Patronus, which is Latin for guardian. _Expecto Patronum_ is one of the most powerful defensive incantations and therefore, today's attempt is only practice in order to familiarize ourselves with the words and wand movements. It is not expected to be accomplished at first try like other charms and because of its historic difficulty it is not part of your N.E.W.T examination in a practical sense, consequently we will only dedicate this class to its practice."

Loraleen looked around the room at her classmates, everybody seemed rather excited at the prospect of casting and getting hands on training which stroke her as rather odd. She had to admit though, even if she found Professor Fontaine unnerving and somewhat unnatural in her mannerisms, she certainly knew how to work the student body. The young witch droned her out as she explained the difference between a corporeal and an incorporeal Patronus and how the caster must focus on their happiest memory to accomplish the charm.

"Isn't this great?" asked Alice in a whisper, leaning close to Loraleen. "Last year's professor was as dull as a spoon; it is a miracle we all achieved a decent O.W.L on this subject."

Loraleen frowned, so much for a respectable institution. Regardless, she smiled and cheered Alice on as she tried to conjure her Patronus, relishing the fact no one seemed to care she was not trying at all. The young witch observed with delight as Lily, Remus, a Ravenclaw boy and Snape managed to produce small wisps of silver light, not enough to count as an incorporeal Patronus but enough to cause determination in the other students.

Her relief was not long lived as she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning her back on Alice she was faced with a not so cheerful Professor starting her down.

"What is your name Miss?" asked Fontaine noticing the lack of wand on the girl's hand.

Loraleen refused to cower or seem embarrassed over her lack of participation and as such mustered her politest smile and said with a proudful air, "Loraleen Ollerton."

"Well, Miss. Ollerton, as enjoyable as seeing your classmates perform and produce results is, it is not an excuse to not try yourself. Where is your wand?"

Drawing her wand from her arm holster, she waved it as to say 'Here it is'. Keeping the polite façade on, Loraleen did her best to ignore the unexpected chill that filled her body at the Professor's words, refusing to make an omen out of it.

"A very nice wand Miss. Ollerton. I suggest you put it to good use, in fact let's see you cast the charm."

Loraleen did not want it to be common knowledge that she could cast a Patronus as she was hoping to disguise herself as an average student, never mind the amount of N.E.W.T.s she would be studying for. Keeping that in mind, she did a half-hearted attempt with the right intonation and wand movement but without focusing on a memory, effectively failing the charm.

"That will not do at all, Miss. Ollerton," said Professor Fontaine. "Stand up," instructed the witch with such a volume that the other students stopped focusing on their own casting and observed the display. "Now, I want you to think about your happiest memory and cast it again," ordered Fontaine as Loraleen stood.

Forgetting herself and her manners for a second the young girl snapped, "I already know how to do it."

"Let's see it then," said the teacher, which might have been positive encouragement or a mocking remark, depending on where you stood.

Loraleen pondered for a second, she wanted to show off, badly. She wanted to see the look of surprise in Professor Fontaine's eyes, as well as in her classmates; just as she used to see it at home with her instructors when she accomplished something big. But above all, she wanted to distract herself from her own foolishness, what would have cost her to wave her wand around as if she had been practicing? Eyeing her classmates, she saw Lily's sympathetic expression and Snape's mocking one, but to her left she saw Lupin's faithful look and it reminded her so much of the way her mother would encourage her along that her mind lost the battle to her heart.

Closing her eyes for a second, she let her memories engulf her. Her heart swelled as laugher filled her ears, her fingers tingled in recollection of that long-gone touch and her lips curved against her will into such a placid smile that it seemed like she was lost to the world. Her eyes flashed open and with a flourish of her wand and soaring spirits her mouth yelled the words, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Light burst from the end of her wand, bright and full of life, leaving those looking momentarily blinded. A blink after a long and slim, shimmering adder slithered through the room, showing its fangs as it went. Silence reigned as the snake inspected the room and soared around its caster, making her laugh with glee. Her laugh seemed to act as a catalyst for everyone snapped out of their shock and started pointing and speaking at the same time, thrilled at the display.

"Your Patronus is an adder?!" cut Black's voice through the sea of noise, sounding amused, outraged and disbelieving all at the same time.

Loraleen turned around to tell him exactly what she thought of his remark when her Patronus left her side and revolved around Sirius, as if assessing a prey. The witch closed her mouth and stared, cocking her head to the side with a confused expression mirroring the one on Black's face, who looked her way with an expression that clearly asked for an explanation.

"Well," said the witch, stunned. "It has never done that before."

Loraleen observed perplexed as Black laid his palms on the table and stretched his arms to raise from his chair, unconsciously giving her Patronus room to accomplish its goal. As soon as Sirius had risen, the adder coiled itself around one of his arms, stealthy making its way up to his shoulder.

"I didn't know a Patronus could do that," said Marlene, watching with rapt attention as the magical creature slithered up Black's arm, who seemed too dazed to react.

"Are you commanding it?" asked Potter, watching his friend with mild concern.

Loraleen denied with her head, too out of sorts at the strange development to answer with words. The adder laid its head on Sirius shoulder and stayed still for a second, eyeing Loraleen from her spot with an almost sentient look. Apparently making some sort of decision, the silver adder opened its mouth, flashing its fangs to the students and without warning, sank them on his shoulder, straight through his robes.

Gasps filled the room and not a second later the beautiful Patronus dissolved into a shimmering mist, leaving no apparent proof of her queer display other than the memories of the stunned students.

Or at least, so thought Loraleen, until Sirius Black's scream pierced the room.


	6. Chapter 5

**Heiress to Slytherin's Legacy**

**Author's note: **Hello everyone! How are you doing? I've been trying hard to add consistency to the chapter's length so they stay around 3.5 K each but as you have probably noticed by now, or will soon find out, it is not working. So, considering I am not willing to butcher up chapters just so they stay relatively the same length, I hope the extra words will make up (even if just a little bit) for the time it takes me to update.

Thank you to those who have liked, followed and/or reviewed the story, and as per usual let me know what you thought and happy reading!

p.s. I don't know if you noticed, but we are finally getting the intro to the real drama of the story and I am super excited about it.

-M

**DISCLAIMER.** Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the OC belongs to me.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

As Black's scream died out, Loraleen's mind battled with the strenuous amount of thoughts trying to make sense of what had happened. Her racing heartbeat echoed in her ears, dulling the outside noise as one by one her classmates started to react. Eyes unwavering, she witnessed as Potter pulled his friend back by the robe as Sirius' eyes closed and his knees buckled under him, stopping him from getting acquainted with his desk face first. His hazel eyes filled with overwhelming worry as he met Lupin's eyes, helplessly asking for support. The young boy jumped up from his chair, leaving behind his shock at the magical display in favor of undisguised trepidation. Between the two of them they managed to keep Black in a somewhat upright position, clapping his check softly as they called his name, hoping for a reaction of any sort.

A strong hand gripped Loraleen's forearm, gracelessly whirling her around on her spot.

"What on earth did you do, Ollerton?!" Yelled an irate looking Professor Fontaine, her eyes wild with unconcealed anger as she demanded answers Loraleen was in no position to provide.

Bewildered, Loraleen's eyes locked with Evans', a speechless agreement settling as silver met green. Holding in the burst of frustrated anger at Fontaine's lack of objective priorities, she shook herself free, strapping her wand back in her holster as she did. Unconsciously, her voice had left behind the sweetness it usually carried, becoming toneless and succinct as she ordered with the regality of someone who had learned to face chaos with a cold face, "To the Hospital Wing."

Potter and Lupin seemed to have been thinking along the same lines as her, for no sooner than the words had fallen from her lips, they were efficiently stepping through the door. Evans being Evans was already holding true to their understanding, pulling rank as a prefect she ordered everyone to stay put and in a flurry of robes she left the room announcing she would fetch the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall.

Loraleen followed the trio down the stairs without uttering another word. Staying out of their way, the only evidence of her presence was the constant clink, clink of her heels as they met the stone. The double oak doors appeared within sight and quickening her step she outran the boys. Drawing all her strength, the witch laid a hand on each door and pushed, throwing them open with a sonorous blast as the wood hit the walls.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Yelled Lupin as they walked though, a sheet of sweat covering his brow.

A startled matron exited the adjoining office, a frown marring her otherwise sweet features. Dressed in a burgundy robe with a white apron covering most of it, the healer approached them, instructing the boys to lay Mr. Black down on the first bed. The Hospital Wing consisted of two rows of beds whose headboards stood parallel to the walls. Each bed was separated from the others by turquoise privacy curtains on either side, an empty chart hanging from every bed's railing. Two black chandeliers hung from the arched high ceiling, candles currently off as the mornings' bright light streamed through the large windows, casting a diamond shaped pattern on the floor.

Loraleen stood back, eyeing the proceedings with a poker face that gave nothing away. Her back was as straight as a wire with her arms neatly crossed over her chest. To the regular passerby she was the example of calm and righteousness but hidden behind her silver orbs a storm was wagging with the strength of a hurricane. Her memories replaying on a loop as she waited for a diagnosis.

Madam Pomfrey quickly gathered a summary of the events leading to her new patient's state without surprise or shock at the weird circumstances. She simply asked the boys to stay back as she worked and focused on her casting, eyes flying back and forth as she interpreted the results she was getting.

Loraleen analyzed her memory to the last detail. Ransacking her mind for a clue or an idea in the long passages she had read while learning how to cast the Patronus Charm. She reviewed every conversation with her mother and her instructor, trying to remember if such a display as the one her Patronus had given had ever been recorded. She carefully considered the way her adder had soared around him, assessing and then curled in his arm in a way that could be described as possessive. She thought about the almost sentient look the Patronus had taken as it decided to take a bite.

Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore walked in as they waited, followed by a concerned Lily Evans. One look in their direction told Loraleen that Lily had filled them in, so much was obvious by the unease lines drawn on their foreheads. Loraleen nodded at her, acknowledging her actions with an approving look but remained silent, nonetheless.

"Wait outside children," instructed Professor Dumbledore without room for argument.

The four sixth years ushered themselves out, with painful reluctance on the boys' part as they witnessed the Headmaster holding a shushed conversation with Madam Pomfrey, who was frowning the way someone did when something puzzled them.

Feeling regret and worry beyond words Loraleen stood like a guard outside the doors as Professor McGonagall closed them behind them, locking them out. Sighting her inner frustration, Loraleen focused on Potter, who had sat on the floor across from her with his head on his knees. Lupin had his hand on his shoulder in a comforting gesture, yet his other hand was balled in a fist.

"I must head back to the classroom, the Headmaster wants me to deliver a message for Professor Fontaine," said Lily softly. "I'll take your bag back up to our dorm, Loraleen." Facing the boys, she added, "I'll ask Peter to do the same with your stuff as I suppose you won't be leaving this hall until you receive news."

Potter didn't answer, just nodded in acknowledgement. Lupin said thanks for all of them and with one last sympathetic smile that didn't match the troubled look in her eyes, Lily walked away, leaving behind a trio in despair.

Funny, thought Loraleen, a dementor wasn't even needed to suck their happiness away.

Silence reigned for a while, minute after minute seemed to stretch in the most irritating way.

"What could possibly be taking so long?" Snapped Potter as the first half an hour came and went without updates.

"They are probably just trying to figure out what exactly it is that happened," uttered Lupin optimistically.

"They can do all that after telling us that Padfoot will be just fine!"

None of them pointed out what the three were thinking, the fact that perhaps they weren't saying anything because he wasn't going to be.

"Do you even know what it was that your Patronus did?" asked Potter with hostility.

Loraleen couldn't find it in herself to blame him, had she been in his place she would have been cross as well. Unfortunately for everyone, she truly had no idea and it was precisely that what scared her the most. Not knowing how to fix it, not knowing what had caused it. Most importantly, not knowing what consequences the bite would have.

"I don't," replied Loraleen simply, tonelessly.

That seemed to be the last straw for Potter. As he processed her short answer, a frown marred his features, causing him to look at her with firm resentment.

"Why did you cast it then?!" exclaimed the boy.

"Prongs," said Lupin warningly but Loraleen's own anxiousness made her eyes flash, letting her emotions break through the surface and take control once again.

"Excuse you!" Snapped the girl through clenched teeth. "That was not my first time performing that charm! I have done it in front of my parents and instructors and other family friends before and this has never happened! How was I supposed to know?"

Potter opened his mouth to argue back but as if hearing the imminent fight, the door opened and out came Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore, wearing solemn expressions. The three teenagers straightened at the same time facing the faculty with equal amounts of expectation and worry.

"Mr. Black is still unconscious," said the Headmaster. "But we are confident he will wake up as soon as his body recovers its energy, hopefully sometime this afternoon."

The words washed over them like the sweetest balm and relief coursed through their bodies. Loraleen closed her eyes momentarily, relishing the fact that Black was going to be just fine.

Facing the boys, the Headmaster continued, "However, he needs rest and as such I must ask you to retire to your Common Room, you are dismissed from the rest of your classes if you so desire, although I strongly advice to keep your minds busy as that will make time fly faster." Turning to Loraleen, he said, "As for you Miss. Ollerton, please follow me to my office."

Expecting such outcome, Loraleen kept her poker face on as she turned her back to the Infirmary doors and followed Professor Dumbledore to the Headmaster's Tower. Potter and Lupin's arguments against leaving his friend's side grew dim as she walked, until they couldn't be heard anymore. Soon enough they stopped in front of a carefully crafted gargoyle, Loraleen eyed it with wonder as it stepped aside, showing a secret staircase leading the way up. The Headmaster motioned for her to follow him and together they made their way up. The stairs opened into an ample circular space, filled to the brim with all kinds of trinkets, books and other items covering every available surface. The walls were covered with portraits and as she walked to the desk, dozens of curious eyes followed her every move.

"Lemon drop?" offered the Headmaster signaling a large bowl full of candy as he sat down.

"No," said Loraleen, taking a seat opposite him. "Thank you."

"Well Miss. Ollerton, I think we can both a agree that this has been a rather eventful first day," said the wizard lightly.

Loraleen considered that to be the understatement of the year, however, her mind was currently focusing on two rather distinctive concerns and the one sitting in front of her held the answers to one.

"Will Black truly be alright?" asked Loraleen directly. "Could Madam Pomfrey identify what happened to him?"

Professor Dumbledore sighed softly and answered, "Mr. Black will be perfectly fine, according to Madam Pomfrey, there is no physical proof of his interaction with your Patronus. As to what caused his black out," he left the sentence die out and Loraleen thought for a second they had not discovered anything but then he continued, "It seems he exerted himself and his magic far too much in the past few days. Today's shock was the breaking point."

Loraleen thought back to their interaction just a few hours ago during breakfast. His playful remarks and relaxed manners did not match the picture presented to her. For shock to have had such a strong effect on him, he must have had to have been on the edge of tiredness, he wouldn't have been able to hide it.

"It seemed like my adder had bit him," started Loraleen. "Were his robes pierced? Were there any punctures on his skin?"

If Loraleen's objective attitude surprised the Headmaster, he didn't show it. "None, as I said there is no physical evidence, nor any aftereffects. But it does bring the question forth, what did your Patronus intend to do?"

Loraleen leaned back against her seat and looked at the wall behind Professor Dumbledore. For the third time that day she had been asked to explain her Patronus actions and for the third time, she didn't have an answer.

"From what Miss. Evans could tell it was not your first time casting the charm," said the wizard kindly. "When did you learn?"

Loraleen eyes stayed fixed on the wall as she replied, "Last year." Knowing she would be required to elaborate she continued, "Both my parents know how to cast it and as a child they would use it to cheer me up. Once they deemed me strong enough, they taught me how to cast it myself and I've done it countless times since them, never with today's results though."

Loraleen though about the memory she had used to bring her Patronus to life. Ironically, it was precisely one of her earliest memories of her and her parents surrounded by her father's playful red fox and her mother's charming dolphin. The tree of them laughing and cheering them on as the animals chased each other, not going far away from their caster's sides.

"I understand it must have been a rather shocking display, magic has ways of surprising us when we believe we have finally understood it," said the Headmaster. "As it is, I was hoping you could cast your Patronus once again for me."

Loraleen recognized his words for what they were, an order not a request, and she certainly did not appreciate them.

"Will all due respect," started the witch firmly. "I won't be casting the Patronus Charm again until we are completely certain Sirius Black is okay, I will not take the risk with you or anyone else."

Dumbledore nodded, "A remarkably noble decision. However, Miss. Ollerton, we could benefit from knowing what caused the unusual behavior, it might have been a random coincidence, but I am sure everyone would feel more at ease if it could be proved as such."

"I agree," conceded the witch. "But I will not cast it until Black is out of the Infirmary and can confirm Madam Pomfrey's assessment."

Professor Dumbledore's displeasure with her decision sparked in his eyes for a brief second. Had Loraleen blinked she would have certainly missed it but as it stood, she hadn't, and mistrust started building inside her heart.

"Very well, Miss. Ollerton, I can respect that. Have you found your dormitory comfortable?"

Loraleen was taken aback by the sudden change of topic. "I have," she said slowly. "The Common Room and the dorms are magnificent. So are the people in fact, everyone has been incredibly kind." Snape's face flashed across her mind as she said those words, but she dismissed it almost immediately. She would tackle that issue some other time.

"I am glad Miss. Ollerton. Although I must admit I was surprised at your sorting, I thought you would be a Ravenclaw like your mother or a Hufflepuff like your father."

Loraleen repressed a snort, "We are a diverse family."

"Indeed." Silence filled the room for a moment, unspoken secrets floating in the air. "Well Miss. Ollerton, you are free to go. As I told your classmates, you are excused from class today if you desire to rest but I strongly advice against it. I'll seek you again once we have established Mr. Black is completely safe."

Loraleen uttered her goodbyes and left, taking a deep breath as she emerged into the corridor, the giant gargoyle retaking its rightful place as guardian of the tower behind her. The young witch eyed her watch and noticed lunch was almost over and as such the halls would be full of students making their way back to class from the Great Hall any minute. Intent on avoiding everyone at least until dinner, so she could wrap her head around everything, she set off to the seventh floor, assuming her dorm would be empty at this hour.

"Did you hear what that Ollerton girl did?" asked an unknown girl as Loraleen neared the Common Room's corridor, not noticing her approach. Hiding quickly behind a corner, she spied a group of tree girls, all younger than her, as they walked away from the Common Room. "Anika just told me she attacked Sirius Black during Defense; he is still in the Hospital Wing."

"Attacked him? What a despicable witch! Perhaps we could visit him at..."

Loraleen rolled her eyes at the last part but didn't stick around to hear what else they had to say about her and walked away, figuring that perhaps going to the Common Room was not the best idea just yet. The witch rapidly found an empty and quiet corridor still on the seventh floor, its walls were bare of portraits and the only decor consisted of a tapestry showing Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls how to dance ballet. Under regular circumstances Loraleen would have found it ridiculously odd and would have laughed at the mere idea, but as she paced back and forth with her fingers rubbing circles on her temples, the tapestry didn't seem as amusing as it could have. She could only think of how much she wished she could speak with her parents without having to write a letter. She wished to tell them everything and brainstorm ideas and solutions as they always did.

Disheartened she ran her hands through her hair and came to halt as she glanced at the previously empty wall. Frowning, she closed her eyes tightly and opened them again, wondering if perhaps they were playing a trick on her. Right next to her, opposite to the tapestry a walnut door with an intricate design carved on its surface had materialized out of nowhere. Its silver knob glinted as light caught it and Loraleen became completely sure there was no way she could have possibly missed it before.

Glancing both ways she waited, thinking someone would show up, but no one did. Remembering the way the Gryffindor Common Room and the Headmaster's Office were hidden in plain sight she approached the door and eyeing it carefully she grasped the knob and turned it. Darkness waited past the threshold and as Loraleen closed the door behind her, she wished for some light. As she readied her wand to cast a simple Lumos the fireplace gave a roaring sound, its fire clacking as it built, instantly warming the room and making her jump. A series of candelabra stuck to the walls lit up, making her raise her wand and adjust her grip.

"Hello?" she asked, her voice stable. "Anybody here?"

She turned on her spot, taking in her surroundings. The cozy study had no windows, nor doors, other than the one she had come through. Two of the walls were lined with bookshelves, while the third one held an old map of the grounds framed in gold. A sofa and two armchairs laid near the fire, with a small table in between. Behind the couch a completely empty desk with a light sheen of dust found its place, making it seem like the little office had no owner. Or at least that it hadn't been visited in the near past.

Considering her options Loraleen turned back to face the door and deeming the place safe enough, she locked it. Sighing audibly, she approached one of the armchairs and after unbuckling her heels she let herself drop down rather gracelessly on it. Observing her wand, she pondered her situation and tried to come up with a decent course of action. She needed to speak with Sirius, that was for certain. She also needed to apologize, even if it had not been intentional, her charm was still responsible for him being stuck at the infirmary.

_It seems he exerted himself and his magic far too much in the past few days. Today's shock was the breaking point. _Dumbledore's words echoed inside her head, but they didn't make more sense that they had before, she simply could not discern whether he was hiding something from her or not. Licking her lips, she raised her wand and summoned her Patronus.

Her silvery adder burst to life in a shower of sparks, just as it had before and Loraleen could not help but smile at the sight. Her adder, her loyal companion, would never fail to cheer her up. The snake made a quick lap around the room and came back to her caster, seeming rather unpreoccupied.

"Why did you do it?" asked Loraleen with a rueful glint in her eyes, not expecting an answer.

The adder floated for a second, not doing anything, but then it made a hissing motion and Loraleen snorted, "That better be an apology," said the witch good naturedly. "And to answer it, yes, you are forgiven." Her focus faded and her Patronus disappeared once again, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

The fire crackled again, and she eyed it curiously for a minute, as if it held all the answers she needed. On top of the fireplace, a crystal urn full of silvery powder caught her attention and as realization sank, she straightened herself with wonder and newfound determination.

"What if…" wondered Loraleen aloud, eyes glinting with excitement.

She quickly rose and padded barefoot to the fire, reaching for the urn as neared it. Kneeling, she placed it on top of the rug and took off the lid. Grabbing a small fist of powder, she faced the fire with a smile and as she threw it in, she yelled, "Ollerton Courtyard!" sticking her face gleefully into the fire as it turned green.

Ollerton Courtyard was the name her parents had bestowed upon their home after they had decided not to live at Ollerton Manor with her grandparents. Even though the name suggested it, the house was not designed in courtyard style. However, the upper floors were built around the square formed by the foyer and the main staircase and so, her parents had jokingly deemed it similar enough.

Loraleen opened her eyes into the empty parlor, looking exactly the same as it had the morning before when they had left for the platform. A slim woman walked in, dark hair tied back in a ponytail and light makeup lighting up her features. She wore a deep blue robe and similar heels to the pair Loraleen had discarded earlier. Her silver eyes were vigilant as she approached the fireplace but as soon as they spotted the face created by the embers she laughed.

"Loraleen! What are you doing in the fire?" asked Cathleen Ollerton with infectious delight. "Tell me you did not sneak into one of your Professor's offices, please."

Loraleen felt her spirits lift at her mother's remark and rolling her eyes, she replied, "Hello to you too mom. And no, I did not. I found a hidden room in the seventh-floor and fortunately it had a fireplace and floo powder laying around."

Her mother raised an eyebrow, most likely at the fact her daughter had discovered a hidden room on her first day back but didn't comment on it. Instead, as she knelt in front of the fire she asked about the important word in Loraleen's sentence, "Fortunately? Is everything all right? Is this about the letter?"

Ms. Ollerton's eyes had narrowed slightly, and her tone had gone from joking to curious. After all, Loraleen's inherent ability to find herself in interesting situations had been inherited from her mother and both of them knew the idea of Loraleen spending time at Hogwarts's as a regular student had been nothing more than wishful thinking, even if they had tried to pretend otherwise.

"The letter?" asked Loraleen distractedly. With all the drama going on, she had forgotten about her mother's letter. "I haven't had a chance to read it yet, something peculiar happened today and I need to discuss it with you and dad? Is he around?"

Just as she had finished asking the question another person walked into the parlor and asked, "Someone called?" The man was wearing a black set of robes and just like her mother, his brown eyes were vigilant and guarded as he approached, at least until they spotted her. "Loraleen! What a pleasant surprise! Were you missing us already?" teased her father as he came to sit next to his wife.

"Will," admonished her mother gently, affection shinning bright in her eyes.

"I did miss you but that is not the reason I am here," explained Loraleen. With that she launched into a detailed explanation of the morning's occurrences. From the moment she had stepped into the Defense classroom and the feeling she had got from the new teacher to the casting of her Patronus, its odd behavior and most importantly Sirius reaction.

"You say it bit him, literally?" asked her mother with a perplexed frown, her mind obviously going a mile a second.

"It seemed it did but when Headmaster Dumbledore took me to his office and I asked him about it, he said there were no markings on his skin nor were his robes pierced. He said Madam Pomfrey, the matron, thought the fainting was due to him being exceptionally exhausted and that the shock caused by my Patronus had been the last straw but…"

Loraleen let her sentence die out, considering for the first time that perhaps she was making a storm in a glass of water.

"But you don't think that's the case," finished her father for her.

"No," agreed Loraleen. "I do not."

Her mother laid her chin in the palm of her hand, considering what she had heard. "I don't think that's the case either. From what you described; shock wouldn't have caused such a strong response. On the other hand, I have never seen nor heard of a Patronus acting in such a way before," she hummed for a second. "They say they didn't find anything out of the ordinary in him however, a Patronus is one of the purest forms of magic, if it did do something it is most likely it could have been overlooked, as it was probably not damaging to his well-being."

Her father hummed, following her line of thought, "As for it leaving no marks, that doesn't really mean anything, does it? While your Patronus takes the physical representation of an adder, it isn't one. That is to say, it doesn't have real fangs, nor poison to inject."

"Meaning it could have had a reaction upon contact," concluded Loraleen thinking about her adder as it slithered up Black's arm. Then she snorted, "You've got to admit the biting was a nice touch, quite dramatic."

Her father laughed, "You cast it after all, sweetheart. It certainly reflects your personality."

Before Loraleen could come up with a fitting comeback her mother intervened once again. "The diagnosis spell used in healing detects injuries by identifying the consequences of a spell. For example, when a wizard uses the Cruciatus Curse on someone else, it is identified for the damage it leaves behind not for the residual magic. That's the reason why it is easier to cast a counter-curse if you know what spell was used, otherwise you would have to identify it by the effects it is causing on the subject," explained her mother gesturing with her hands for emphasis. "The spell doesn't recognize magical signatures either," added the witch after a second, waiting for Loraleen to arrive to the same conclusion she had.

Loraleen narrowed her eyes. "Therefore," she said. "The spell used by Madam Pomfrey would be rendered useless as it wouldn't be able to detect the effect the Patronus had, as it hasn't done anything physical, nor discern whether there's foreign magic in his body or not, as it can't tell the difference between my magical signature and his," inferred the witch.

"That does bring a fascinating question forth," said her father. "What did it do? Magic doesn't disappear, so unless it's waiting for a trigger the only thing it could have affected without immediate detection would be literally his own magic."

Loraleen gasped, "I do not like the sound of that."

"Don't forget Patronuses are pure positive magic," hurried her mother to remind her. "Whatever it is doing, if anything at all, it will not harm him."

"That doesn't make me feel better!" snapped Loraleen. "Positive or not I wouldn't want anyone messing with my magic!"

"True," agreed her father. "But what is done is done. Your mother and I will visit your grandfather this weekend though," he informed her. "We will check the library for any clues as to why this happened in the first place, which is as important as to what it caused. Check Hogwarts's library as well and keep an eye out for the boy, just in case."

The assurance filled Loraleen's heart, knowing that no matter what her parents would always have her back filled her with delight.

"The Headmaster did lie to me then," concluded the young witch catching their parents' attention once more.

Ms. Ollerton pursed her lips, "Not quite, what he said was true, even if he did omit information. He is a bright wizard, he must have come to the same conclusion we did, which is why I don't understand why he would blatantly state that the boy had been taxed when that could be so easily overruled as a lie."

"You said the boy's last name is Black, right?" asked Mr. Ollerton. "Your aunt Ambrosia mentioned some time ago that the current Head of House Black and his wife were rather unpleasant people. I don't want to get ahead of myself but perhaps that has to do with his exhaustion as Dumbledore pulled it."

Loraleen's frown deepened at the implications behind her father's words but went back to the matter at hand. "Dumbledore did ask me to perform the Patronus Charm again. He said he wanted to make sure its behavior and Sirius' fainting had been just a coincidence, but I refused. I told him I wasn't taking any chances."

"I am glad you did," said her mother. "Whether what happened is inherent to your Patronus or not and whether our hypothesis has merit or not, the Headmaster is known for advocating for the greater good and I know for a fact that is a double-edged sword. I do not want him meddling with your magic, nor with our family affairs, specially not with Voldemort's threat looming in the horizon."

"I do not like the picture this paints," added her father, running a hand through his unruly hair. "He should have contacted us if he suspected Loraleen's magic had done something to another student, even if he had decided not to tell her," said Mr. Ollerton to his wife, frowning.

And Loraleen agreed, "I'll stall him for as long as needed, or at least until we figure out what happened ourselves." Noticing there was nothing relevant to add, she continued, "I must get going, I want to check on Black before the day is over and hopefully, I'll get to apologize and set the record straight. I'll let you know if I find anything odd going on."

Her mother nodded, "Yes, that's for the best. Do read the letter I sent you this morning though, I wrote the details for the Warding Ceremony."

Loraleen's eyes lit up and she asked with excitement, "You don't say?! I'll read it as soon as I get back to the dorm!" The young witch said her goodbyes and as her parents' voices echoed the sentiment, she drew back from the flames, feeling better than before.


End file.
